The Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, has officially moonwalked into theatres and unfortunately it’s missed a step or two with critics. But alongside the negative reviews, the lead-up to the flick’s release was quite the doozy.
ICYMI, the world has been dusting off its fedoras ahead of the release of Michael, starring Michael’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, as the King of Pop.
It even got to a point where memes predicting how fans would react did the rounds on social media, racking up hundreds of thousands of views.
But now that it’s out, things are apparently getting he-he-heated, with Michael debuting with a 26 per cent Rotten Tomatoes score, with one critic describing it as “more PR than cinema”.
However, it looks like things were quite shaky before the premiere. Think family feuds, reshoots and scathing online posts. From family feuds to reshoots to scathing online posts, here’s all the chaos surrounding the film.
Production drops $21 million to remove all mentions of Michael Jackson’s child abuse allegations
Ahead of Michael‘s premiere, Variety reported that a majority of the biopic’s third act, which touched on Jordan Chandler‘s 1993 sexual abuse case against the “Thriller” singer, was reworked or removed at the request of the attorneys of Michael’s estate, who co-produced the film.
As production was reportedly only notified of the estate’s request late into the project, Michael underwent a mammoth 22-day reshoot, which axed references to the allegations.
The reshoot cost more than $21 million (AUD) and was covered by Michael’s estate, as it was their oversight that forced the reshoot, per the publication.
Why was Jordan Chandler’s sexual abuse case removed?
Jordan Chandler’s case was settled outside of court on January 24, 1994, with the Daily Mail reporting that Jackson paid over $32 million (AUD). Within the settlement, there was a clause that barred any depiction or mention of him in any movie.
Paris Jackson says she had no involvement with Michael
In 2025, actor Colman Domingo — who depicts Joe Jackson in Michael — praised Paris and Prince Jackson for supporting the biopic.
“They’re very much in support of our film,” he said of Jackson’s children in an interview with PEOPLE Magazine.
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“I’m excited to be here at amfAR tonight with Paris. It feels like that’s a nice way for us to be together.”
Shortly after the interview was published, Paris took to her social media to call out Coleman’s claims.
“Don’t be telling people I was ‘helpful’ on set of a movie I had zero per cent involvement in LOL that is so weird,” she wrote in a now-expired Instagram Story.
“I read one of the first drafts of the script and gave my notes about what was dishonest/didn’t sit right with me, and when they didn’t address it, I moved on with my life. Not my monkeys, not my circus. God bless and godspeed.”
Following her written statement, Paris shared a video delving deeper into her “involvement” with the Michael film.
Paris Jackson attempts to clarify her views of the Michael Jackson biopic: “The film panders to a very specific section of my dad’s fandom that still lives in the fantasy and they’re going to be happy with it.”
by
u/AbsolutelyIris in
Fauxmoi
“I’m gonna say this and then and then I’ll… leave it alone because it seems like there’s been a lot of responses to the thing that I posted earlier, just like clarifying that I wasn’t involved at all, aside from giving feedback on the first draft and then getting the feedback that, ‘yeah, we’re not actually going to address your notes at all’,” she said.
“And I was like, alright, like, f*ck me, um… so I just like butted out. I’ve left it alone. It’s not my project. They’re gonna make whatever they’re gonna make.”
Jackson family clashes at private screening
In unconfirmed Jackson tea, an insider who claims to be close to the famous family told TMZ that Janet and Jermaine Jackson clashed over the film during a private screening ahead of its premiere.
Per the publication, Janet was “very critical” of the biopic, while Jermain “loudly applauded”, with TMZ highlighting that Jaafar is his son.
A source also claimed Janet’s reported jealousy towards Michael impacted her thoughts on the flick.
“Janet’s always been insanely jealous of Michael, and her career is in the toilet,” a source told the publication.
Janet Jackson declined to be portrayed in Michael
Despite being a part of one of the most iconic Michael tracks in his discography — “Scream” if you needed to know — Janet was not depicted in the Michael flick.
According to LaToya Jackson, another one of Michael’s siblings, the “Someone To Call My Lover” singer declined to be portrayed at all.
“I wish everybody was in the movie,” LaToya told Variety.
“She was asked, and she kindly declined, so you have to respect her wishes.”
Look, as Michael sang himself, “you gotta be starting something”, and it looks like this flick has started a whole lot of mess
